The Gatekeeper
2007.07.25 0:30

There are tens of thousands of shrines in which you know two gatekeepers are guarding in front of the entrance. Those figureheads are called Komainu - dog of foreign origin. Their head is similar to lion's and the body an ordinary dog. Those figureheads were so common in ancient Babylonia, Persia, etc. I know the gate of the Garden of Eden was protected by two cherubim so I wonder cherubim must have something to do with Japan's Komainu.
By the way I encountered some article that says the Garden of Eden stands for a womb. Certainly Bible says they can't back to the garden once they left there. In this article that says the cherubim represent unborn babies who were killed before their birth for some reason, usually economic one.
Related to this but not directly though are the origin of cross. Jesus was crucified but the fact does not automatically deduce as to why cross has been used as a symbol of Christianity for a long time. So when I encountered the article that suggests the similarity of the brazen serpent and Seraphim, I thought this must have something to do with cross. I had half a mind that cross must have represented the ascension of Jesus. Jesus was born as human and he later must have resurrected in spirit. My conclusion is cherubim, seraphim are representing spirits after death. Cross must be representing humans with wings, hoping to ascend.
Back again gatekeepers. We sometimes pay respect to shrines. This practice is so common in Japan. If inside the gate represents the Garden of Eden, the shrine must be playing the similar role. Inside the shrine is called 'sanctuary' as a matter of fact. We weren't caught in the gate. We weren't a gatekeeper yet.